Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) -- Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash

 

‘…the hallowed manger ground’. That’s the spot that Chris Tomlin and Ed Cash wanted Christmas celebrants to scrutinize as they themselves thought about the significance of the “Emmanuel”, the ‘God with us’, who occupied that unexpected place. (See that nativity scene here, as imagined in this masterpiece artwork, Adoration of the Shepherds, by the 17^th Century painter Gerard van Honthorst.) If we could place ourselves within that window of ancient history, how would we react to this most unusual event? Would we, if we were average Jewish villagers trying to scratch out day-to-day life, really be aware that it was something that scribes and other teachers of the Jewish law said we should anticipate? After all, hundreds of years had elapsed since the last prophet had spoken. And yet, there were whispers and reminders from some of the most learned men of the village where you and I might have lived. But in a manger? Even the old men teaching us seemed to be skeptical. But, just listen to those shepherds…what a story!

 

Chris Tomlin and Ed Cash wanted to issue a miracle-reminder in 2009, and given the content of the lyrics and the song’s title, it seems obvious that they were in the midst of the Christmas holiday season, though we know no details of the song’s development. We can estimate that these two music collaborators were also at least glancing at a bible or some other ancient history resource, for they mention a ‘silent age’, a period of ‘400 years’ (v.2), to set the scene in which 1^st Century Jews lived. The prophet Micah had delivered his oracle sometime around 430 B.C., and then God’s people heard nothing more from any other prophets for a very long time. Perhaps enough had already been revealed, but that did not dim the curiosity of God-fearing folks, those who clung to the hope of God’s deliverance. Chris and Ed mention that that curiosity was translated into a ‘hope’ that sent some men on a ‘journey’ to find the ‘hallowed manger ground’. This hope is the first emotional reaction that Chris and Ed mention, one that propelled the shepherds to that special birthplace. Two other emotions arose from those first-look men, according to Chris and Ed: ‘Rejoic(ing)’ (v.2), and ‘prais(ing) (v.3). It was the first time, the first Christmas for those people, and for a people who thought God had maybe forgotten them, this bright star and the child it shone upon were signs that were undeniably supernatural. It was the cause for spontaneous wonder and  elation. That just might be what Chris and Ed were trying to recapture for us who are 20 centuries removed from that first time. That would be over 2,000 Christmases that have piled up since that unique child arrived in a village in Israel’s present-day West Bank, just south of Jerusalem. Just respond to the invitation, and put yourself in the period, looking upon the face of the infant-God, the One who came to save.

 

Chris and Ed don’t immediately tell all that the Christ-child would mean to humanity. Instead, they tell of the search and how the seekers must have felt as they followed ‘the light’ (v.1). The way was ‘long’, but they had ‘hope’ (as already mentioned above) of seeing a ‘King’ (v.1). They still could recall their ‘fear’ because God had grown so quiet, only to be jolted by the ‘baby’s cry’ (v.2). Could that have been like the electric charge one receives from an E-squad technician, as he or she places the paddles on one’s chest and flips a switch to zap your heart into a beat? Imagine that. And, think about how this baby’s heartbeat would be sacrificed one day, as a consequence of His body ‘bleed(ing)’ – even as a infant in that manger, He was ‘born to bleed’, to wear ‘thorns’ (v.2), and to bear scorn. Not your normal kind of baby, was He? Only one name fits, as the two songwriters remind us – Emmanuel.

 

  

Read here about one of the author-composers: Chris Tomlin - Wikipedia

 

Read here about one of the author-composers: Ed Cash - Wikipedia

 

See information here on the classic artwork: File:Gerard van Honthorst - Adoration of the Shepherds (1622).jpg - Wikipedia. The author died in 1656, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929.